~Lily~
I stood in the center of Adrian's study, my hands trembling at my sides, my cotton nightgown the only thing between his gaze and my complete nakedness.
He sat behind the mahogany desk, his posture impeccable, his eyes — grey and cold as winter — tracking every tremor that ran through my body.
"Remove it," he commanded, his voice velvet over steel. "I need to examine you properly, Lily. As your guardian, I must ensure your... health."
I should have questioned. Should have remembered that guardians didn't typically demand nude examinations of their eighteen-year-old wards.
But my parents had died six weeks ago, and Adrian was the only stability left in my shattered world. I obeyed.
The nightgown slipped over my head, pooling at my feet. I stood naked, my arms crossing instinct
